Back in the day when matchbooks were popular, Chris Bird used a rubber stamp to imprint his contact information on them to promote his lawn-mowing business. Before that, he operated a drink stand by the neighborhood tennis court. And in college, he started a company with the lofty name of 1520 Enterprises Unlimited to loan money to fellow students who had a short-term need, similar to today’s payday and title loan businesses.
“When I was in grade school, there was always a candy sale at school or for the baseball team,” Chris said. “I was always the top seller because I would invest in some product myself and use it as free samples. People couldn’t say no to a kid giving away free candy.”
In other words, Chris Bird has always been interested in business, sales and marketing.
He was born in Port Arthur, Texas, and grew up in Dallas. Chris moved to Memphis in 1986 after graduating from UT Knoxville with a bachelor’s degree in engineering and philosophy.
After college, he passed the life insurance licensing exam then started a series of very different businesses: software design and consulting; buying, improving, developing and selling real property; and architectural consulting, with major projects that included Peabody Place, Target House and FedExForum.
Then, after a chance meeting between Chris Bird and John Dillard Jr. at Memphis Rotary in 2000, the two agreed that Chris would buy Dillard Door and Specialty Company from the retiring Dillard. Chris took $75,000 in savings and a personal note from Dillard to capitalize the new company.
At the time, the company had 12 employees and about $2 million in revenue. Chris became president of the company, which provides commercial perimeter security products and services. In just five years, Chris had grown the company, which he renamed Dillard Door and Security, to 50 employees and $6 million in revenue. Today Dillard Companies has more than $25 million in revenue and more than 120 employees in Memphis and Florida, where high-dollar mansion owners are big customers of the overhead doors Dillard sells. Since then, spin-offs of strong pieces of the business and acquisitions have continued to shape the business that years ago installed the gates at Graceland.
In 2019, Chris was inducted into the Society of Entrepreneurs. Today he serves on that board and is active in other organizations including Regional One Health Foundation, Calvary Episcopal Church, Door and Hardware Institute, Construction Specifications Institute, Morrison Architectural Scholarship Fund at the UofM, Memphis Heritage, NFIB
State Leadership Council and Crime Stoppers. He also remains active in Memphis Rotary, where that chance meeting with John Dillard Jr. started it all.
Chris and Dillard Companies are also Chairman’s Circle investors. “Being part of the Chairman’s Circle offers us invaluable opportunities including direct involvement in key task forces and committees shaping Memphis’ economic future,” he said. “We benefit from exclusive access to meetings with political influencers and private events, as well as concierge access to expert teams in economic development and governmental affairs. This significantly enhances our growth and visibility. Overall, the Chairman’s Circle provides a platform for strategic networking, influence and long-term success. And it’s fun, too!”
Chris and his wife Helen have three children. He enjoys hunting, wine, gourmet cooking, UT sports, Grizzlies basketball, Redbirds baseball, travel and music.
engineering physics from John Carroll University, specializing in electrical engineering through cross studies at Case Western Reserve University. He also earned a master’s in electrical engineering from Penn State University. HICO is a leader as a domestic producer of large power transformers, and Jason has been a key part of expanding HICO’s presence in North America. HICO has more than 400 employees in Memphis and more than 120 employees in Pittsburgh, in addition to employees across the U.S. and Canada. HICO is working to expand its capacity in Memphis and plans to manufacture other solutions the company offers. So why did a company with a world-class facility in South Korea choose to build a manufacturing facility in Memphis? “Many of us at HICO have been at our company a long time, and it was a key vision to establish a manufacturing operation in the U.S.,” said Jason. “For many years we imported equipment and solutions from South Korea. That is a world-class facility, but our partners in the U.S. wanted operations in America. In 2017 we decided to build a factory in the U.S., and a facility in Memphis became available. We acquired it on Valentine’s Day 2020. It was a milestone for our business in the U.S., truly a dream come true for all of us. “Memphis is a perfect location, central to our customers across the U.S. The rail and over-the-road access to transportation in Memphis is unmatched. But most of all we are blessed with the talented employees we have at our plant, the leaders and managers we have in Memphis, the quality of the work of our team and the products we produce day after day.” The company doesn’t just manufacture in Memphis – employees are also active supporters of the community. Hyosong HICO supports the St. Jude Memphis Marathon and Concord Academy. The company works with the Chamber to engage with schools, including hosting a Manufacturing Day at the plant earlier this month. They hire interns from colleges in Memphis and across the country. What excites Jason most about Memphis? “It’s a great location for our business, but most importantly, it is the people in Memphis. The quality of the education and the welcoming atmosphere in the community translate into our operation in Memphis. We have grown from 120 employees to more than 400 today, with plans to expand to more than 600 in the coming years. HICO is a great atmosphere to learn and work. We have a solid business model that gives all employees a voice to contribute to the direction of our company. We share together in our successes, and we face challenges together and overcome them. “It is also organizations like the Greater Memphis Chamber and the Chairman’s Circle in particular that give our company the opportunity to contribute to growth in Memphis. Our acquisition of the Memphis plant remains the single most important decision our company has made in the U.S. Our growth in Memphis is contributing to the success and expansion not only of our company, but also the industry overall.” Jason and his wife Melanie just celebrated their 25th anniversary. They have two children, Sarah and Samuel, who both attend the University of Dayton. Jason’s parents instilled a strong work ethic, and “the example of their relationship influenced my life in many ways. My father spent his entire career in the utility industry. When I entered college, I saw the utility industry as a little static, maybe not as exciting…. But I was wrong! My decision to join this industry in 2001 was the best decision I made. We have become the ‘cool industry.’ We are at the forefront of technology development.” Jason enjoys golf, vacationing near the ocean with his family and playing basketball and sand volleyball. Because of all the time spent watching with his kids, he can spout lots of quotes from the movie Cars. But his favorite movie is Shawshank Redemption, because he said it shows the importance of relationships and the ability to work together to overcome obstacles. Asked if he had anything else to add, he said, “We’ve been a proud member of the Chairman’s Circle since 2022. We look forward to more opportunities to support the Chamber and to engage with other companies in the area. We are especially proud to be here in Memphis!”
As Corporate Champion, Bill is encouraging other business leaders to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by forming corporate teams to raise money and participate in the weekend’s marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K or 2-Race Challenge. In addition to raising money for St. Jude, marathon weekend contributes to the local economy and generated $43 million for Memphis’s retail, transportation and hospitality industries in 2023. The St. Jude Memphis Marathon is the largest single-day fundraiser for St. Jude. This year’s marathon will be Dec. 7 and is expected to bring 22,000 runners and walkers to Memphis, along with thousands of volunteers and spectators from around the globe. This year’s goal is to raise $16 million during the marathon weekend. The 
As Corporate Champion for St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend, I am honored to lead the charge to raise funds and awareness for the kids and families at St. Jude. Supporting St. Jude has always been my passion, and I’m elated to expand our impact by uniting more business leaders behind this mission. What is the mission of the organization or project? St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, known for its pioneering research and treatments, aims to raise $16 million during the 2024 marathon weekend. What is your history with this organization? I have long supported St. Jude individually as a St. Jude Hero and through Varsity Brands programs such as Team Up for St. Jude and Spirited by Varsity. Why is this project or the work of this organization important to our community? In addition to raising funds for St. Jude, marathon weekend has generated millions for the Greater Memphis economy. What is your goal with this involvement? Since 2011, Varsity Brands has been all-in on supporting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital’s incredible mission of treating and defeating childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Thanks to our collective efforts, we’ve raised more than $13 million (and counting!) to help ensure that families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. Are you involved with other community organizations? What is your role with those organizations? In addition to my role as president of Varsity Spirit, I also founded Crosscheck Athletics, one of the largest nonprofit youth sports organizations in the greater Memphis area. I chair the board of the Leadership Empowerment Center in Frayser, sit on the board of Memphis Gridiron Ministries in Binghamton, serve on the board of governors for New Memphis and am in the process of launching a nonprofit specifically designed to drive youth engagement in Memphis. If you’re interested in sharing the story about your community involvement outside the office in the Chairman’s Circle newsletter, email